Churros Factory

When we were in Seoul, we saw shops selling churros at every corner. While this snack has not invaded Singapore as quickly as the Korean bingsoos, it is getting more common to see shops selling churros.

Set up by former S-League star Jeremy Chiang, the shop was packed on a weekend evening.

We decided to get 3 churros ($4). Tasting like you tiao (deep fried dough fritters) with ridges, the churros coated in chocolate sauce and lightly sprinkled with cinnamon sugar were piping hot when served. Before the churros were served, I asked my friend to take 2 so that I consume less fats. In the end, I took 1.5 pieces because they were pretty addictive snacks.

It felt a little sinful to consume these churros because they are deep fried and drizzled with chocolate sauce- we washed down the guilt with some honey lemon tea from gong cha after that.

Churros Factory 
112 Katong Mall
#B1-26

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Obolo

I am a list kind of person. I love reading lists and compiling lists. Anytime you have a Top (insert number) (type of food) in Singapore in a magazine or newspapers, I'm bound to read it. Located at the basement of Katong 112, I had always walked past this place but never entered because the prices of the cakes were on the high side. 

Nonetheless, I finally got to try the Noisette ($7.50) which was in the 2008 Straits Times list of Top 50 Yummiest Cakes. The chocolate mousse was bittersweet, exactly how life feels like sometimes. I shun all kinds of chocolates that only have a sweet edge to it. The crunch praline feuilletine is always a welcome addition to chocolate cakes- who doesn't like the crunch? Together with the chunky hazelnuts, this dessert was beautifully executed.

Service was pleasant, Noisette was good, just a bit too steeply priced in my opinion. Human traffic was pretty sparse for a weekend afternoon, so don't worry about crowds.

Obolo
112 Katong
112 East Coast Road
#B1-11/29
Tel No: 6 636 1073 

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Xiao La Jiao (Part II)

Something has to be done about the air-conditioning in 112 Katong. The other place I know that can rival the bitter winter winds of 112 Katong is Vivo City. It took some hot and spicy food from Xiao La Jiao to warm ourselves! (Click here for the first entry I wrote about Xiao La Jiao.) 

I like it when websites of restaurants are transparent, where they reflect both the menu and the prices. Here's the menu! 

We decided to get some noodles to share. The Pork Noodle Soup ($8) was pretty ordinary but good if you are just seeking something warm. 

The Dan Dan Noodles ($8) was also nothing exceptional.

The GeLeShan Style Chicken ($10.90) is deep fried chicken with spice seasoning. Eat it when it's still piping hot so that it is crispy. After a while, it becomes kind of hard after cooling off. But I like the spice seasoning and how the seasoning is salty at an acceptable level.

Sichuan Style Boiled Fish ($17.90) was something I had to order ever since I went to a restaurant in Boston that sold this. Soaked in chilli oil, this is a mean dish. Don't order this if you have a low tolerance for chilli. The fish slices were fresh.

The thinly-sliced Sichuan Pork Belly ($10.90) was very flavourful and had a wok taste to it.

The Claypot Eggplant ($9.80) was ordinary.

The Stir-fried French Beans ($8.50) had a very good bite to it, crunchy and juicy.

I don't really like baos so it doesn't come as a surprise that  I didn't really like the Sichuan Bun (4 pieces for $4.50, pro rated). They are pan fried buns with a layer of sesame below it with pork fillings. It comes with ginger shreds, as though it's xiaolongbao. The meat filling is juicy.

Besides the above, we also ordered Mapo Tofu ($9.80) which is really nothing to shout about. I don't eat frogs but the rest at the table said that the Griddle-cooked Tian Ji (Frog) ($16.90) was good. We also shared a plate of Stir-Fried rice with egg and crispy fish ($7.90). The fried rice was fragrant and the crispy fish added another dimension to the dish.

Here, when we asked for rice, they gave us Sweet Corn Steamed Rice ($1 per bowl). Didn't like it very much because the corn made the rice stick together. As dessert, we had Mixed Sugar Guokui ($5.90) which is a  traditional Chuan style sweet bread baked with brown sugar. It tastes like green bean paste buns.

Service by a particular waitress was exceptional. She was very friendly and even offered her jacket as we told her that it was very cold in the restaurant. While there are some hits and misses, the prices here are wallet friendly, and the quality of food is decent. Just make sure that if you can't take spice, check out beforehand which are the spicy dishes and which are not.

Xiao La Jiao 
112 Katong
112 East Coast Road
#03-05
Tel No: +65 6636 3736

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Trail #3: Katong/Joo Chiat

Introduction

Since we had time on National Day, we decided to walk the Katong/Joo Chiat area. This isn't what you would consider a touristy area but it is pretty much a gem of its own, with a long heritage and well-preserved buildings. According to Wikipedia, Katong was "born out of Joo Chiat" and Mr Chew Joo Chiat was known as the King of Katong. And if you are Singaporean, you must know that this area is concentrated with lots of good eateries. 

If you're interested, here's a blog by Mr Chew's great-grandson. It's pretty admirable how people take the effort to document the history of places that hold a special place in their hearts. 

Katong/Joo Chiat Trail 

I did a Katong/Joo Chiat trail and here, I've marked the places on Google Map. If you are interested in retracing my footsteps, all you need to do is to print out the map and to follow it accordingly. Why I did this was because sometimes when I was travelling, I was often bothered by which sequence I should take in order to maximise my sightseeing.

View Larger Map

A. Katong Shopping Centre

The first air-conditioned mall in Singapore, Katong Shopping Centre was established in 1971. It's not a place where you would go to find your fashionable clothes and shoes, but rather a place where you can find photocopying companies, Teo Heng Karaoke (a relatively cheap karaoke place), lots of maid employment agencies and even a ghostbuster shop. Not sure how long it will still be there though because 80% of the owners have already given consent to the en-bloc sales. 

You can also walk into some of the sidelanes such as Ean Kiam Place or Marshall Road where you will see distinctive and interesting houses.

B. Sri Senpaga Vinyagar Temple 
The Hindu temple, Sri Senpaga Vinyagar Temple, was established in the mid-19th century by the Ceylonese Tamils from Sri Lanka. It is the second-oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. You can see the Chola style of architecture here. The Cholas were the greatest temple builders in the history of India. You can enter regardless of religion or race, but do take off your shoes and socks if you step into the main hall.

C. Carnival Beauty Salon
You seldom see hairdressing shops like this anymore. When we tried to peek into the salon, we realised we couldn't see anything.

D. Katong Laksa
What's a trip to Katong without trying the laksa? But with so many contenders for the real Katong Laksa, maybe you should just settle for one of the most popular at 328 Katong Laksa. You will see the walls plastered with pictures of the shopowner with lots of big shots, including ministers and actors.

E. Kim Choo Kueh Chang
Kim Choo Kueh Chang has been here for over 60 years. Madam Lee Kim Choo was 12 years old when she learnt the secret recipe to making traditional Nonya rice dumplings. Yet another story of a lady with steel grit, she set up a stall under a tree, with 5 kg of rice everyday. This remains a very popular and favourite shop for people to get dumplings.

F. 112 Katong

A very new shopping centre, this place houses many new eateries and is a worthy contender with the nearby Parkway Parade. It also introduced a Golden Village (movie theatre) with a Peranakan theme. It is a major transformation from the previous shopping centre occupying this piece of land. As Katong is not really accessible by MRT, you might want to consider the free shuttle bus from Paya Lebar MRT. 

F. Chin Mee Chin Coffee & Cake Shop
Chin Mee Chin is a place where many food bloggers rave about their kaya toasts. Apparently, everything about this place is original- using a charcoal fire to heat the coffee, baking their own buns etc. Nostalgia is the key here, but the food has to be good too. While I haven't eaten here yet, this will be on my to-eat list.

F. Katong Antique House
Besides Mr Chew Joo Chiat's great-grandson, Mr Peter Wee is another of those who strive to keep cultures and traditions alive. At this two-story shophouse,  if you make an appointment with Mr Wee, you will get to see the Peranakan costumes, crockery and furniture put on this display by this fourth generation Baba Peranakan.

G. Food in general

From traditional pastries to modern cupcakes, this area has it all. For those who crave for durian puffs but are not willing to fork out Goodwood Hotel's prices, Puteri Mas may offer you good durian puffs at a lower price. I don't really eat cupcakes  because some places make it too sweet but if you want to check them out, Hey Cupcakes! looked pretty attractive. And a shop that sells cookies, My Lovebites has been very popular with magazines and newspapers recently. Pity we were ignored when we entered the shop, which wasn't the best way to tempt us into buying cookies. Heard it's really yummy though. 

There is so much more you could do at Katong. Don't be lured away just by the food. Do take a moment to look at your surroundings. The colourful paint splashed on the buildings, the unique Pernakan floor tiles etc. Enjoy your time in this place where shophouses still dominate and where people care enough about their roots and heritage. Some things can stay the same even when everything else changes. 

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The Cartel Bistro

112 Katong has turned out to be a favourite haunt everytime we can't decide where to eat.  Just like how moths are attracted to lights, we walked into The Cartel Bistro because of the vibrant decor. And yes, in case you are wondering, The Cartel Bistro is a new concept store by Cafe Cartel. 

There is a weekday promotion going on and we happened to chance upon the 1-for-1 Chef Recommends Complete Meal (Wednesday). Click here for the promotion (differs every day). This means that you just have to add $3.90 to your set meal and you get another set meal free! (lower price of course) Promotion ends 31st July, applicable for lunch and dinner. 

The soup was served in some cool metal structure. Soup was a little too salty for me but I liked the crunchy bread in it.

The baguette would have been better if it were crispy. Nothing great about it.

We ordered the St Louis Pork Rib ($15.60) with honey glaze. Incredibly huge portion, heaped with fries. I liked the honey sauce and the meat was very tender and succulent.

We also ordered the Grilled Tender Chicken ($15.60). Compared to the Pork Ribs, this was of course a lot smaller. But nonetheless, still grilled well, along with hot piping wedges.

Since it was one for one, our total bill came up to $22.95, after taxes and service charge. Now, how good a deal is that? In addition to all those, you get a drink (coke/coffee/tea/ice green tea etc).

The food was not fantastic, but decent for the price. But couple that with the excellent service, I think this is a good spot if you are are really hungry and looking for something not too expensive! Note that there are different 1-for-1 deals from Monday to Friday though! So if you are picky about your food, you should decide whether you want a seafood meal, pasta meal, steak meal etc. before making your way here!

The Cartel Bistro
112 Katong
112 East Coast Road
#02-07
Tel: +65 6636 3327

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Xiao La Jiao

School has barely started but it already has me up to my neck. Amazing how I increasingly feel that I don't have a life. But it's okay, nothing matters in life except eating. On a second exploration for food at 112 Katong, we decided to have dinner at Xiao La Jiao because the last time we passed by, it was crowded although it was already 3 pm. 

You can either sit here or further in and get a window view. Most people took the window view but we settled for here because, what's new, we were too lazy to walk in further. 

This place sells Sichuan food, and when I think about Sichuan food, I think about mouthwatering, spicy-till-you-want-to-cry food. And this is what you get here!

I ordered Chicken Noodles 鸡丝凉面 ($8). (I googled 鸡丝凉面. Click here if you are interested and can read Chinese.)  I suppose the English name given to it doesn't do it justice. But anyway, there was plenty of chicken- no scrimping at all! And the chicken's not dry, but not moist either. The noodles are also very springy! The chilli which was in abundance was spicy enough to make my tongue numb.

This is a great place to eat at. The servers are attentive and constantly refill your drinks (probably to douse the fire in your mouth). Price is very decent, food portions are good. Drop by 112 Katong Mall for the food surprises that await!


Xiao La Jiao

112 Katong
112 East Coast Road
#03-05
Tel No: +65 6636 3736

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Yomenya Goemon

I couldn't quite decide whether to label this as Japanese or Italian. Because it's essentially pasta but served and eaten Japanese style. While the focus of the menu seems to be on Italian food, they have some pasta comprising Japanese ingredients.

Yomenya Goemon has been serving Japanese pasta for the last 36 years. I know there are restaurants that have been surviving since 100 years ago, or since dinosaurs roamed the earth (i'm kidding), but 36 years is seriously quite a feat.

Anyway, we ordered Lunch Set A ($14.80++). It comes with salad, miso soup and spaghetti. I asked the waitress for recommendation and she recommended a few items. I decided to get the Mediterranean Tomato Cream Soup, Spaghetti with Fresh Seafood.

Here's the salad bar where you can get one serving of salad. They give you a bowl, and you take whatever you want (as long as it's one serving). It makes sense because then, you don't need to waste food which you don't like. I liked that there was a range of ingredients and also the fact that they were all very appetising- sweet, sour and healthy! As you can see, there was lettuce, orange, eggplant, tomatoes, lychee, alfalfa sprouts etc, along with your favourite dressing!

The tomato cream soup was rich but not too thick. There were a lot of noodles and they were cooked al dente. The seafood is fresh. The only gripe I have is that the amount of seafood is quite little.

The set lunch is ordinarily priced, but the food and service is good. Thumbs up for salad bar, piping hot food, fast serving of food and delicious pasta!


Yomenya Goemon 
112 Katong
 #02-12
Singapore
Tel: 6636 3692

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Canton Paradise

I visited Canton Paradise at the newly opened 112 Katong today. It's part of the Paradise Group, which owns Taste Paradise, and the standards do not disappoint at all. In fact, we were speculating whether Paradise Group actually pays more for their chefs because their dim sum is consistently better than other  places.

The colour theme here is purple. What does purple stand for anyway? According to some dubious website I was reading online, purple is the colour of good judgment. It also symbolises magic, mystery and royalty. Perhaps this was why they decided to don this place in purple. 

So, with the usual dim sum stuff we ordered, I really rest my case without even saying anything. Normally I would say, the prawn's not fresh, the skin's too thick, the skin's too hard etc. But today, I really have nothing to say- Good Dim Sum deserves an aura of silence.

Maybe it's because they bribed me over with the mini egg tarts. Buttery and light pastry for egg tarts always score points! 

We also ordered two huge bowls of porridge. The porridge was so good, I was asking my mum whether it was possible to recreate this at home. 

Oh, and just a random nugget. As we shared the porridge, we decided to put it into our individual bowls. But the small bowls totally didn't feel hot at all, and we were thinking whether it was some good quality porcelain plates and bowls. Turns out that the huge bowl (of the same material) actually felt quite hot. But anyway, since we are onto this topic, I think their choice of interesting utensils also show how they break away from the norm and constantly try to reinvent. 

Their star dishes are supposedly the char siew dishes. This plate costs $15. No kidding. For three pieces. But it's actually three pieces split into 15 pieces. And when one of us ate it, he was like, "Eh is this the thing they put in the mee pok hur?" He was obviously referring to pork lard. He's actually not far from that. We later found out that this was PURE FAT. I mean, seriously? PURE FAT. I actually found the sauce pretty nice. But wouldn't order this again although this is their star dish. Even the waiter said that 2 small pieces per person is enough.

We also ordered another char siew dish, which is apparently 1/2 meat, 1/2 fats. Now, this is slightly more pleasing to the ears, and to the stomach as well. Slightly charred, not too charred. They definitely have some secret recipe for the char siew sauce.

In all, the dishes here meet up to expectations. You might have to deal with the waiters/waitresses a little bit though, because many of them seem pretty unfamiliar with the Paradise Group card (three people gave us different information). Talking about the card, you might want to enquire about the card because it's pretty worth it. Our bill added up to around $120 for 5 people, and became around $70-80 because we used the card.

Canton Paradise 乐天小香港

112 East Coast Road
#B1-15
112 Katong
Tel: 6344 8201

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